Discussing the Senators Top Forward Prospects

Having looked at Ottawa’s top goalie prospects and top defenseman prospects, it’s time for the forwards. Without a doubt, this is a real weakness for the Senators. Given the lack of high draft picks over the last few years, it makes sense that this group of forward prospects isn’t highly rated. Hopefully, someone on this list can turn out to be the next Drake Batherson/Mark Stone/Daniel Alfredsson. That might be asking a bit much. Let’s get into it. 

Zack Ostapchuk

Ostapchuk was selected 39th overall in 2021. He had a very solid 1st season in the AHL last year, scoring 17 goals and 28 points in 69 games. He was rewarded with 7 NHL games, where he was held pointless. At 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, he’s another one of Ottawa’s many big, strong forwards. He plays a solid two way game and can be counted on at both ends of the rink. Nick Paul makes for an interesting comparable- similar sizes, similar junior numbers, and similar styles of play. Paul ended up having some difficulty as he began his pro career, but he clearly figured it out. Perhaps that’s a player Ostapchuk can try to emulate, with a little more natisness to him.

Ostapchuk is another forward who is looking to make the Ottawa Senators out of camp. The available fourth line role seems well-suited to his game. If he can make the Senators, his job will then be to prove himself worthy of staying in the NHL all season. There’s always a chance that he ends up down in Belleville, though, and there’s no harm in that. At just 21 years old and with 1 pro season under his belt, there’s plenty of growth left for him. Down in Belleville, he could be given more important offensive minutes to continue to develop his offensive game. 

Stephen Halliday

Halliday was a fourth round pick, 104th overall, in the 2022 draft. At 6-foot-4, Halliday meets the size requirements that Senators scouts seemed to have set. He spent the last two seasons at Ohio State, scoring 19 goals and 77 points in 78 games. He led Ohio State in scoring both seasons, and then joined Belleville for the end of last year. With Belleville, he scored five points, all assists, in ten regular season games, and then caught fire in the playoffs with two goals and nine points in seven games. Halliday uses his size to his advantage, and while he is a capable goal scorer, he thrives as a passer. 

Like Ostapchuk, Halliday is one of several forwards that will be competing for a fourth line role with the Ottawa Senators. Having only played 17 AHL games, though, there is a good chance he ends up back in Belleville, where he would likely have a top 6 role and some power play minutes as well. 

Angus Crookshank

Crookshank was selected in the fifth round, 126th overall, way back in 2018. Last season, he was one of Belleville’s best players, scoring 24 goals and 47 points in 50 games. He was rewarded with 13 NHL games, where he scored two goals and three points. As one of Ottawa’s only smaller drafted players in the last several years, he makes up for the lack of size by playing with a lot of energy and intensity. 

He’ll be 25 in October, making him the oldest player on this list. To put it in perspective, he was drafted the same year as Brady Tkachuk. He was just signed to a one year, two-way contract in June. Given his age and experience, having spent two plus seasons in the AHL, this makes for an important  year for Crookshank. He is expected to compete for a 4th line role with the Senators. If he isn’t able to claim that spot, he’ll likely be back in Belleville. This year for Crookshank is a lot like what last year was for Sokolov- he’s shown himself to be a great AHL player, so the time to make that jump into the NHL is now, or else he might end up on another team by next season. 

Xavier Bourgault 

Bourgault is one of the few 1st round picks on this list, having been selected 22nd overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2021. Unfortunately, it has not gone well for him at the pro level. He was okay two years ago, but he regressed statistically last year, scoring just eight goals and 20 points in 55 games- pedestrian numbers for an offensive minded forward. He is certainly a talented young player, though, as his dominance in the QMJHL showed, but the Oilers decided to give up on him, trading him to Ottawa for another talented young forward, Roby Jarventie. 

Perhaps a change of scenery will help Bourgault. He’ll likely spend the entire season in the AHL. With Jarventie gone, there are offensive minutes available if Bourgault can earn them. He has good hands, he skates well, and he is a creative player. He’ll need to come into this season stronger, and more willing to compete and play a two way game to earn more of an opportunity than what he received last season with Edmonton’s AHL team.  

Jan Jenik

Jenik was drafted in the third round, 65th overall, in 2018 by the Arizona Coyotes. He’ll turn 24 in September, and he has played 22 NHL games, making him one of the oldest and most experienced players on this list. He came to Ottawa in a trade that sent Egor Sokolov to the Utah Hockey Club. Both players had shown themselves to be very good AHL players, and both were looking to get that chance as full-time NHL players. Janik spent last season with the Tucson Roadrunners in the AHL, scoring 16 goals and 36 points in 55 games. He also played 5 NHL games, scoring 1 assist. He’s known as a hard-working forward who can contribute offensively. 

Going into his first season with the Senators, Jenik is yet another player looking to take that fourth line forward spot at the NHL level. If he can have a great preseason, he could very well be an NHL player to start the year. If not, it’s back to the AHL for Jenik, this time in Belleville, where he would likely have an important role in Belleville’s top six. 

Tyler Boucher

Boucher was famously, or perhaps infamously selected 10th overall in 2021. It was a shocking pick, given that many had him as a late round first if not a second round pick. Unfortunately, it’s been an uphill battle from there for Boucher. He struggled at Boston University, produced middling numbers with the Ottawa 67s, and hardly produced at all last season in the AHL, scoring just two goals and five points in 21 games. A huge issue for Boucher has been injuries. He has missed significant time in each of the last four seasons, failing to play even 30 games in any of those years. When he has been able to play he has shown himself to be a hard working, physical, tough forward who loves to hit. The offensive game has not progressed since he’s been drafted, though. 

Boucher needs to find a way to stay healthy. Easier said than done, I’m sure, especially given his style of play. He’ll spend next season in Belleville, most likely in a checking role on the third line. He was clearly drafted too high. Those expectations can be set aside. Now, it’s about staying healthy, and showing that he can contribute at the AHL level.  

Luke Ellinas

Ellinas was drafted in the fourth round, 104th overall, in the most recent draft. A left shooting winger, Ellinas fits the mold that the Senators seem to covet so often. He’s 6-foot-2, he’s physical, and he works hard. He spent last season as a rookie with the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL, scoring 16 goals and 33 points in 67 games. He progressed as the season went along, though, and scored five goals and eight points in ten playoff games. 

Ellinas will be back with the Rangers for his second OHL season. With him and Andonovski there, that will certainly be a team for Senators’ fans to keep and eye on. He needs to build off of his strong finish to last year, and become a more important offensive player for the Rangers. 

Javon Moore

Moore was also a fourth round pick in the 2024 draft, 112th overall. He also plays left wing, standing at 6-foot-4, 200 pounds. He spent last season playing high school hockey in Minnesota, scoring 26 goals and 53 points in 28 games. Playing high school hockey in your draft year can make it hard to evaluate a player. While the numbers look impressive, it’s a lower level of hockey than where most other prospects play. Having said that, there’s a lot to like with Moore; he’s shown himself to be a good athlete with ideal size. 

In his post draft interview, Moore indicated that he will play for the Sioux Falls Stampede in the USHL next season. Then, he’ll make the jump up to the University of Minnesota at the college level. Ideally, he works his way into an important role in the USHL where he can grow as a power forward. Then, when he joins Minnesota, he’ll be ready for the strength and speed of the college game. 

Blake Montgomery

Montgomery was another fourth round pick in the last draft, going 117th overall. Unsurprisingly, he is another big body, standing at 6-foot-4. He’s a left wing, and he played last season with the Lincoln Stars of the USHL. In 58 games, he scored 22 goals and 43 points. Like Moore, he is considered a power winger who uses his size to help him create offensively. 

Montgomery is already 19 years old, so he was actually passed up in his first year of draft eligibility. He had a strong year in the USHL, and will try to build off of that as he heads back to that league for the upcoming season. After that, he committed to the University of Wisconsin for the 2025-26 season. You can expect him to play at least a couple of years there.

Oskar Pettersson

Pettersson was drafted in the third round, 72nd overall, in 2022. Believe it or not, that makes him the highest drafted forward by the Ottawa Senators in the last three drafts! Unfortunately, it was a bit of a rough season for Pettersson last year. He struggled with Rogle BK Angelholm in the Swedish league, scoring just one assist in 26 games. At the World Juniors with Sweden, he only scored one assist in seven games. He decided to join Belleville part way through the year, but there he managed just three goals and seven points in 29 games. For a player that is supposed to create offense, those numbers were disappointing. 

Pettersson will likely spend the entire season in Belleville. He needs to show progress as a skater, and perhaps try to develop as a two way player to earn minutes on what is looking like a solid Belleville team. For now, he’s looking like a depth AHL player.